Top 10 Probiotics for Children

The topic of probiotics is the latest information in the news. Probiotics are friendly bacteria found in foods and dietary supplements that can help bring back the balance of good bacteria. The question arises can children take probiotics. According to Dr. Holly Lucille, Naturopathic Physician, the answer is “Absolutely, In fact the use of probiotics can be very beneficial for your children. A healthy digestive system is very important for a strong immune system in kids as well as in adults.” So what are the best sources of probiotics for children?

As parents, we scrutinize all health information for our kids. First, let’s get a medical side of probiotics for children and adults: According to the World Health Organization, they’re “live microorganisms, which when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” This healthy bacteria is found in fermented food products such as yogurt, sour cream, sauerkraut, and buttermilk. Probiotics are also available as supplements; these formulations can be identical to the organisms that colonize the gut. The health benefits of probiotics are a natural fit to a daily regiment.

Many medical experts believe probiotics may increase the amount of beneficial bacteria in people’s intestinal tracts as well as aid digestion, boost the body’s natural defenses, and fight off harmful bacteria that can cause health problems. Experts are conducting studies to determine if probiotics can be used to prevent and treat all sorts of conditions, many of them common in kids, including asthma, colds, colic, lactose intolerance, and dental cavities. Dr. Michael Cabana, chief of general pediatrics at UCSF Children’s Hospital, says there’s an abundance of studies exploring probiotics’ potential, but relative few studies in U.S. children. In the 1990s, Dr. Cabana says, there were one or two published probiotic studies a year, while in 2005, over 350 studies were published. Always confirm with your primary medical professional if you are adding children’s probiotics to their daily regiment.

So what foods should your kids be eating to get the best probiotics? Fermented foods contain healthful bacteria: Kombucha Tea, sour cream, buttermilk, sauerkraut, pickles, and many yogurts. But generally pasteurization has eliminated the flora found in modern food. As a result, companies are fortifying foods with probiotics in an effort to re-introduce this bacteria. These companies claim their products offer a range of health benefits, but only some of the claims are based on reputable science. Also, parents should consider the full list of ingredients in these inoculated foods–for example, are they loaded with fructose syrup? The additives may counterbalance the health benefits of probiotics.

Why not give them supplements?

The best rule of thumb is to use ‘live’ bacteria. Supplements simply don’t contain enough of the good bacteria to be of the best use. According to studies reported on the consumerlab website: many of the probiotic supplements failed to pass the testing process for the benefit levels. When considering childrens probiotics, it’s best to go natural.

What about infants?

There are high quality powders that can be added to an infant’s formula. Always confer with your medical provider before adding anything to your baby’s diet.
The resulting information summary is: Give your children the fermented foods that contain the helpful bacteria. This can include:

One Response to “Top 10 Probiotics for Children”

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Roxanne Says:
The problem with buying probiotic products in the local grocery store, is, as you say, pasteurization, which gets the good stuff out of everything. Is there a particular brand of yogurt or other probiotic products you can recommend to give to children?January 18th, 2011 at 8:42 am